The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have formed partnership to further increase air safety in the Country’s aviation industry.
The two agencies have jointly inaugurated an 11-man committee that would review the NCAA’s response to safety recommendations issued by AIB on accidents, serious incidents and continuous operation of the State Safety Programmes (SSP) and ensured that the agency’s recommendations are implemented.
In a statement, the General Manager, Public Affairs, AIB,Mr. Tunji Oketunbi, quotes the AIB Commissioner, Mr. Akin Olateru, as saying that the committee will also consider other areas of cooperation that will improve safety of aircraft operations in Nigeria.
He emphasise that the committee will also coordinate activities with regards to aviation occurrences, respect for the mandate and responsibilities of each organisation, effective and efficient exchange of Information and data amongst others.
Mr. Olateru says that both Government agencies nominated five representatives each to the committee, while one representative was nominated by the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
According to the statement, the two agencies have worked together to ensure effective discharge of their duties in establishing and promoting higher levels of safety.
Also commenting, Director General, NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu, notes that the primary objective of establishing the committee is to ensure the enhancement of thorough coordination, collaboration and cooperation processes and public safety in aviation industry.
According to him, such coordination had been taking place between the authority and the bureau, although inconsistently and informally.
He describes the inauguration as a giant stride towards performing the two agencies performing their functions in the areas of safety oversight and investigation of accidents and serious incidents with a view to determining probable causes, implement safety recommendations in order to prevent re-occurrence.
The NCAA helmsman appeals to the committee to continuously engage in ensuring the establishment of conclusions devoid of ambiguous interpretations that would ensure frictionless and seamless description of lines of responsibilities.
He further urges the committee to address establishment of procedures for timely transfer of occurrence to ensure valid and valuable evidences were not degraded or completely lost before the transfer authority began investigation.
Insightnaijatv
